The invention relates to a method for grinding a machine component that is driven to rotate about its longitudinal axis and that has at its one axial end a journal and at its opposing end an interior recess, wherein exterior surfaces are ground using a first grinding wheel and the circumferential surface of the interior recess is ground using a second grinding wheel and a workpiece headstock, a tailstock, and at least one steady are provided for clamping the machine component during grinding, and relates to a grinding machine like a universal, circular, or non-circular grinding machine for performing the method.
When grinding such machine components that have a relatively complicated configuration, it is known to clamp the machine component at its ends between a workpiece headstock and a tailstock and to grind different areas on the exterior contour of the machine component using different grinding wheels. If there is a recess at the end of the machine component, it has been suggested to clamp the machine component on one side and at the opposing freely accessible end of the machine component to grind both exterior areas and the contour of the interior recess using grinding wheels having different sizes. Such a method may be found for instance in DE 23 33 041. With machine components that are clamped on one side, it is also customary to support the opposing free end with a steady. DE 101 44 644 A1 describes using steadies for supporting rotating workpieces during grinding using a plurality of grinding wheels.
In all of these cases, the required machining processes can be performed in a single, unchanged clamping process on one and the same machine.
However, the machine component to be ground in accordance with the invention has at its one end a journal that has a smaller diameter compared to the other areas of the machine component. This journal must also be centered very precisely and then circle-ground on its exterior circumference. In addition, the exterior areas and the interior recess must be ground. In this case it is not possible to grind using the known methods because certain areas of the machine component are not accessible when the normal clamping methods are used. In particular if the machine component in question is a gear shaft, the demands on accuracy are very stringent with respect to dimensional accuracy and centering. In some cases even the slightest changes, which can occur due to inaccuracy when grinding, can lead to extremely disadvantageous effects.